So, usually, i travel wearing a shirt that shows something reminiscent of a man in the Star Trek transporter effect (but not so close as to violate copyright), captioned: I'D RATHER BE TELEPORTING.
I get great responses, especially in the security lines.
Today, that was dirty. I wore it on the way out. So to go home, i wore a cardinal red shirt that says: NO ONE EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION.
I get great feedback when i wear it at the supermarket. Today, though, total silence.
Until this little old lady in the Detroit airport asks, 'Are you Spanish?'
'Um, no. Scottish, German, Danish, more German, but not Spanish.'
'Then why are you wearing a Spanish Inquisition shirt?'
'From the Monty Python skit. Actually. Less of "a skit" and more of a running gag for that episode.' At her total lack of visible recognition, i keep explaining. Television. British. Comedy. 70's. While the back of my brain wonders why she thinks A Spaniard would wear an Inquisition shirt...?
Anyway, none of this impacts her mind at all, and she lectures me on exactly who the Inquisitors were, and what they did to people.
'Yeah,' i nod. 'Torquemada. Ximenez. Authorized to move without let or hinderance throughout the land. Violence, terror, torture, bright red uniforms. Yeah. They covered that in the skit.'
She stared at me. At my shirt. At me.
'I guess it must have been a very funny skit,' she finally decides.
'It was,' i assured her. 'Not as catchy as Mel Brook' musical, but funny.'
'Oh, Mel Brooks,' she sniffed. 'He's a Jew, you know.' And gave me a s8gnificant Look.
'I do know that,' i said. 'And i THINK this is where i would normally say, "die in a fire," but i think you're on my flight, and i don'want to temp the universe.'
She looked rather offended by that. Darn.